Vel'Sharen

Rulers among rulers, the Vel’Sharen have lorded as Chel’el’sussoloth’s dominant clan for nearly the city’s entire existence. Its Val bloodline controls not only the clan itself but also legislates the workings of the rest of the city. Yet unbridled political power breeds both enemies and greater desires. The conspiracies that run through the Sharen are unparalleled by any others in scale or magnitude. Everything is a pawn in their eyes, but lately these pawns have begun to fight back...

History

The history of the clan, rife with warfare.

Long before the Great Wars tore the Old World asunder there existed a wealthy dark elf desert nation ruled by Great Queen Sharess. With the advance of the demonic hordes upon their kingdom, their queen ceded rule to her sister and sacrificed herself to close the nether gates that infected her world whilst her subjects fled beneath the earth alongside refugees from the nearby Sullissin nation. There they were to await the day when the remaining demons above devoured all aura-bearing resources and starved, leaving the surface world fit once again for re-population.

Notable Event: 3rd Century War

During the violent beginning of Chel'el'Sussoloth, soon after the mass extermination of dokkalfar, its drow refugees fought for the limited land space and the right to govern themselves, resulting in many families being wiped out. While they fled as one and worked to establish the city that would become Chel'el'sussoloth, relations deteriorated and created contention between the Sharen and Sullissins erupted anew. This mutual hostility brewed for centuries before erupting in the Third Century Wars. In response, the Sharen rallied clans and houses to its side--including the aid of the Val'Beldrobbaen ancestors--and moved to crush the rebellion. The conflict ended with the Sharen standing as the victors, nearly eradicating the Sullissin royal bloodline in the process. Diva'ratrika, in a rare act of mercy, spared the rival clan from annihilation, naming Ash'waren Val'Sullisin'rune the new Ill’haress and ushering in the reforms that would raise the Val’Sharen as the sole ruling clan.

The many years between the war with the Val'Sullisin'rune until the more recent times are as-yet unexplored in the history of the Sharen. The Ill’haress died some time in the 4th century, passing the crown to her daughter Diva'ratrika Val'Sharen and deeming her the next Ill’haress of the Sharen and Val’Sharess of Chel'el'sussoloth. The new queen’s rule remained seemingly uneventful up until the rise of the Nidraa'chal in the mid-10th century of the Moonless Age.

Drastic change came to the Sharen in the wake of the Nidraa'chal Uprising. The Val'Sharess, already known as a reclusive individual, hermitted herself away in her royal tower, cutting herself off nearly completely from the world around her. Only her four remaining loyal daughters were permitted to see her and pass down her decrees. Other changes came rapidly over the next several years: clan-wide tainting became mandatory as a defense against demonic possession, two of the queen’s five bloodlines were nearly exterminated, and a fair amount of Sharen land was lost to the opportunistic Val'Sarghress, to name but a few. Most notable however was the adoption of the new clan title “Vel,” an alternate prefix labeling them as a ver'drowender clan.

Nearly thirty years after the fall of the Nidraa'chal war has broken out once again upon the streets of Chel'el'sussoloth as the clans come into open conflict with each other. Diva'ratrika has been declared deceased, seemingly passing her crown to her youngest daughter Zala'ess. Yet though they are embroiled in war with the Val'Sarghress the daughters of the late Val'Sharess still squabble among each other.

With Diva’ratrika no longer lording over the clan it didn’t take long for Zala'ess Vel'Sharen to push forward in her own ambitions. Ill-content to let wait for the long-ranging plans of her remaining siblings to bear fruit she instead went on the offensive, pressing against the Val'Sarghress both militarily and politically. The few forces she sent against the Sarghress were doomed from the start, but they did their job of deviating her foes from attending the clan gathering where she attempted to do her greater damage. Unfortunately, despite inspiring words and damning information, Zala’ess’s attempts to marshal the other clans in opposition to the Val'Sarghress proved unsuccessful.

Zala'ess furthered her scheming by participating in the civil war in the western Illhar'dro nation. She and her family gained leverage by defeating Balsii's forces and gaining substantial support from her old friend Nega'fanea, as well as the Illhar'dro vassal clans of Jie'yen and Balvhakara. She sought to use this alliance to mark on the Sarghress' forces who were weakened by Sarv'swati's own efforts, thus asserting herself as Empress of Chel'el'Sussoloth. In the mean time, she sends her daughter Chrys'tel to make arrangements with the Vloz'ress to secure a passage into the city.

Zala'ess' scheming caused an explosion of war in the city, with the Vel'Sharen, the Val'Beldrobbaen and the Black Sun Earth tribe fighting the Sarghress (aided by absorbing the Kal'yantra minor clan) and Sullisin'rune forces. In addition were Kyorl'solenurn troops harassing both sides of the war, setting out to fulfill their purpose of exterminating the tainted and demons. Sarv'swati sought to clean up Zala'ess' mess and cull the uprising, but the task proved much more difficult than expected. In the meantime, Snadhya'rune sought to use her Nidraa'chal agents and the Val'Jaal'darya to further her own goals and steer the war away from Sharen hands. For 15 years the war raged on, with constant stalemates and lands outside Chel being attacked, until a series of breakthroughs occurred.

First, The Vel'sharen began to lose the southern lands where they were building a slave army to Sarghress forces. Secondly, Sarv'swati lost the support of the Beldrobbaen when Kiel'ndia Vel'Vloz'ress assassinated the false Empress used to pretend that Diva'ratrika was active. Waes'soloth officially declared the Empress dead, and the stalemate the Beldrobbaen and Sharen held near First Landing broke. Next, Nishi'kanta planted her own family as turncoats in the First Landing defense on Sillice's order, so that Quain'tana's forces who captured Dariya'ko could march into First Landing with relative ease. With the string of unfortunate events, Sarv'swati's army appeared to have melted away in the last push on the Council Dome itself, where the Earth Tribe made the call to retreat and the Sarghress legions broke the Sharen defense and marched onto the Vel'Sharen fortress itself.

Zala'ess and her Nuqrahn allies stood in Vloz'ress lands while the Vel'Sharen remnants remain trapped inside their fortress. Sillice and Nishi'kanta journeyed to Mimaneid to gain allies among the Kavahini minor clan to attack Snadhya'rune's holdings in Felde. The raid turned out to be a failure, as Snadhya'rune proved to be too powerful for Mikilu'ligr Val'Dutan'vir to take down, and the Kavahini retreated. On Zala'ess' end, her effort to secure Chel almost ends in disaster as well due to Ni'bai Vel'Sharen's summoning of the powerful Demon God, but Quain'tana rescues her and the combined forces destroy the Vloz'ress citadel. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that the youngest Sharen Princess had been infected with the flower plague, by none other than Shinae.

Notable Event: Sarghress Civil War

Upon her return to the Sarghress fortress, The Mercenary Queen points out Sillice's noticeable failure to kill her older sister, and that her younger sister had agreed to form an alliance to combat the Nidraa'chal. Sillice leaves the meeting absolutely furious and chances upon Zala'ess, who is on her way to address Quain'tana and the representatives of the remaining Great Clans. This is the first time in many years that the two meet face to face once again, and the reunion ends in disaster, with Chry'stel struggling to remind Sillice that they can finally work together to bring down Snadhya'rune. All the while, the infection progresses to the point here Zala'ess can do nothing but hallucinate, to the point where she has a panic attack in front of the remaining clan representatives--still, she manages to propose the idea of democratic convention where every clan helps each other to administer the city. This effectively ends the notion of needing an Empress.

Snadhya'rune herself later relocated to Chel with her trusted lieutenants and laid a trap for the Sarghress troops, sending a gigantic glutton demon to combat Sang's forces. Sillice and Nishi'kanta themselves took to the field with full intent to find Snadhya hiding in the shadows, but instead they discovered their sister's minions conducting the attack. Once again, victory slips out of Sillice's hands as the sneak attack on the Sul Trio fails, leaving Sillice injured and Nishi'kanta without support from her sister.

As Sillice takes her family and Sarghress troops to raid Orthorbbae, Nishi'kanta and Chry'stel take it upon themselves to take out Snadhya'rune in her true location: the Nal'sarkoth lands. The raid in the school is bloody. Sillice spares none in her quest for Nidraa'chal blood; she threatened to kill her own brother Ashu'athama if he stood in her way to purge the boys' towers. However, she turned her attention towards the platform Kiel takes, discovering Sha'sana's location and promptly killing the ancient dokkalfar.

In a twist of fate, Sha'sana forces Kiel'ndia'sa demons into Sillice at the last moment; the Third Daughter later awoken to voices in her head and the red eyes of a ver'drowendar.

Culture and Politics

Descendants of Sharess and overlords of Chel'el'sussoloth, the Vel’Sharen are the highest of royalty to be found within the city. A child born into the Vel family can expect to live a life of luxury and general security. This environment often breeds a sense of superiority over one’s fellow drow; the people of the Vel’Sharen are generally perceived as lofty and arrogant. This tendency only seems to escalate as one meets those higher up within the clan’s hierarchy. The Vels of the clan often have few qualms about toying with the lives of others, on rare occasions even sending their more unfavorable children off to die. If lives are lost to further an agenda, so be it.

Despite their seemingly posh existence however, the Sharens hold themselves up to an exemplary standard. Clan members are expected to excel in every important aspect of their clan, especially the Vels. In times of war the five sisters of Diva’ratrika often led the charge to battle with their lineage by their sides. In times of peace they dominated the political scene, regulating Chel'el'sussoloth and overseeing conflicts between other clans. It is worthy of note that the Sharen very likely deserve at least some measure of the haughtiness they exhibit.

The Vels of the Sharen have a unique practice when they bear offspring. Agents of the clan scour the city over the course of the first few years of a new female child’s life, seeking an individual of identical age and physical features to be adopted into the family as the newborn’s protector twin. These two are raised side-by-side as close sisters, the adopted girl given the life-long task of being a constant guardian and glorified servent, never leaving the side of her charge and sacrificing herself in her sister’s defense if need be. The effectiveness of this practice has produced mixed results: few of the older Vels in the clan still have a twin, and it is evident that the majority of these losses come at the hands of their own sisters than any external threat. None the less, the relationship of Snadhya'rune Vel'Sharen and her twin Khaless stands as evidence that lasting relationships are occasionally possible.

The political landscape over which the Vel’Sharen tread has been somewhat shaky. The chaotic and independent nature of drow doesn’t mesh well with such supreme oversight. They are seen somewhat negatively in the eyes of the commoners of Chel'el'sussoloth for their haughtiness and seeming neglect of the "lesser" plights. This is a major reason for the appeal that the Val'Sarghress hold for many, as they are an organized and formidable force capable of standing up to the Sharen without fear of being immediately stomped out.

Among the clans of the city Val, Vel and otherwise, the Sharen are regarded with (often begrudging) respect. They are after all the most powerful clan in Chel'el'sussoloth and have been so for nearly a millennium. Only those who trade heavily with the Sharen or rely upon them for support (namely the Vel'Vloz'ress) count them as true allies however. It is unclear how their relations were with the Val'Kyorl'solenurn before, but the unrolling of the Sharen mandatory tainting policy has put the two at notable odds. Quite possibly their greatest opponent however is the Val'Sarghress; the ideologies of these two clans could not be more antipodal, and the two clans have been at bitter odds since the Sarghress ascended to Val status.

The Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard serves as the Empress's personal military, exacting her judgement on individuals and clans that have broken the laws of the land. It consists of people from all clans who protect the Empress at all times, and overseers who delegate her will. Mikilu'ligr Val'Dutan'vir was once the Empress' most trusted Overseer until she was deposed, and Chrys'tel acts as an Overseer for Zala'ess. Several of Sarv'swati's bloodline are also members of the Imperial Guard, such as Nori'ga, Sun'ya and Overseer Vidhi'yani.

However, faith in the duty of the imperial guard began to fall during the civil war with the Sarghress forces. Many found themselves out of work after the failure to protect the biogolem replacements and the colony-born body double (if they survived up to that point at all), and remaining imperial guard numbers were all but destroyed due to Sarv'swati's zealous push at the Val'Sharess Tower defensive battle.

Those who still yet live have now flocked to Zala'ess' banner in support of her claim to the Empress title. Chrys'tel now leads the Guard as its Captain, though the purpose of the organization has fallen to the wayside, due to Snadhya'rune's interference.

Bloodlines

A massive amount of emphasis is placed upon the daughters of Diva’ratrika and their various bloodlines. Much like in goblin kingdoms there is a fair amount of squabbling over whom should ascent to rule when the previous Val’Sharess passes on.

Zala’ess’s Bloodline

The brood of Zala’ess is the most numerous of the five daughters, a fact that provides the fifth daughter with more than a little pride. Her children are often much like she is: confidant, politically savvy and skilled at wordplay. When it comes to the public stage none are as willing to take to it like her progeny. Following the Nidraa’chal conspiracy she has been quick to move herself to a position of political prominence with the majority of her children more than happy to aid her. One of her youngest however has been using her mother’s preoccupations to advance an agenda of her own, endeavoring to uncover the truths behind the Nidraa’chal conflict.

Snadhya’rune’s Bloodline

Snadhya’rune is quite notable for her public lack of children, due to her wish to raise a daughter outside of her mother’s overbearing oversight, solely for the purpose of spiting Diva'ratrika. She possesses a single daughter in Kalki, conceived and birthed artificially with the assistance of her contacts in the Val'Jaal'darya. She has been keeping her daughter hidden from the public eye, using her as a secret and loyal hand to advance her own schemes. Instead of a perpetuating a bloodline, Snadhya'rune turned to "adopting" girls with rare affinities to her cause.

Sil’lice’s Bloodline

The family of Sil’lice suffered heavy losses during the Nidraa’chal uprising, and those who survived were in turn forced to suffer the wrath of their mother being labeled the scapegoat of her sisters’ schemes. Few escaped the resulting purge, but those who remained true to her fled to the Val'Sarghress. Here they serve dutifully under the cover of Sarghress troops, sharing their hosts’ hatred for the current Sharen, though for a very different reason. The betrayal at the hands of the other daughters of Diva'ratrika is a deep wound, driving them onward in their quest to topple the Vel’Sharen and resurrect the honorable traditions of the clan’s greater days.

Sarv’swati’s Bloodline

Little light has been shed upon the children of Sarv'swati Vel'Sharen, though they do have a foothold in the story. Where Zala’ess’s brood are the political movers of the family, Sarv’swati are the dominant armed forces of the clan. What few children of hers that have been seen have a tendency to be much like her: brash, impatient and often short tempered.

Nishi’kanta’s Bloodline

The progeny of Nishi'kanta Vel'Sharen is a family filled with tragedy and mishaps. Much like her sister Sil’lice, Nishi’kanta’s forces faced the full brunt of the Nidraa'chal’s demonic armies and were nearly wiped out, and she herself elected to remain silent of the conspiracy for the sake of what little of her bloodline remained. Some of her blood however are ill-content with such conformity and actively seek to avenge the deaths of their brethren.

Clan Fortresses and Properties

The Vel'Sharen fortress.

In the north-western reaches of Chel'el'sussoloth stands the regal fortress of the Vel’Sharen. It appears seemingly simple from the outside, a giant monolith with the clan’s crest on its fore, but its interior is a royal display of the clan’s immense wealth and power. Mana tech elevators, expansive aquariums and elaborate wall designs are the norm. A plethora of guards patrol the area outside of the fortress’s walls and a cadre of aerial golems dominate the surrounding skies.

Within the territory of the Sharen lie several other notable locations, not the least of which is the Dome of Sharess, a religious center open for all who follow the various variation of faith that surround the deific figure. The dome also houses the council chamber where the heads of the city’s various clans come to converse. From atop the done rises the Royal Tower from which the Val’Sharess oversees her control of Chel'el'sussoloth.

The Vel’Sharen formally hold control over Felde (of which Snadhya'rune is the leader), Sha'shi, Dariya'ko and all of the Deep Territories[1] However, they have recently lost control of the Dariya'ko colony to Sarghress raiding.

A scholarly city near the darkest center of the Mist Sea that exists to study the effects of the Mist, and its relationship with the meteor that fell into the Underworld. The Vel'Sharen are named as a defender of this city.

Felde, known as the Emerald City, is city on a mountain side in the Mist Sea northeast of Chel'el'Sussoloth and is under Snadhya'rune's control. to travel there, one would need access to boats, for it is surrounded by a large lake fed by the many waterfalls spilling from masterfully carved architecture built into the mountain.